The ultrasound technician job outlook is positive and projected to grow even faster in the coming years, so this is an ideal time to explore the field. If you are already in medicine, you can cross-train and become an ultrasound technician in about 1 year. For those not currently working in medicine, you can receive the necessary training with a 2-year associates degree.
If you wish to advance your ultrasound technician career path further, you might earn a bachelors or a masters degree, which will enable you to enter healthcare management at the government level, work in public policy, do research or teach.
There are several areas of sonography in which you might specialize, such as OB/GYN, vascular, small parts and musculoskeletal, to name just a few. The more certifications you have, the better your job prospects and ultrasound technician salary will be. While some are more challenging than others, you will find that your ultrasound technician job duties are mostly the same, just applied a bit differently in each subcategory.
Ultrasound technology is usually expected to dramatically embrace popularity. Unlike surgical treatments, which are expensive and time-consuming as individuals also must take some time off to recover right after such treatments, ultrasound readings are usually fairly quick and totally painless. Patients only need to have several ultrasound skin gels applied to the place becoming scanned and await the ultrasonographer in order to conduct the reading through. After the imaging is completed, the gel is just wiped off as well as the patient can keep without any further negative effects. In addition to the particular ease and convenience in which usually ultrasound diagnostics are performed, this type of reading through can also be preferable due to the fact of it really is considerably less dangerous than other analysis methods, such as X-Rays that use potentially harmful radiation for image resolution.
Ultrasound Technician Job Outlook
An ultrasound technician job description details the ways that ultrasound techs, also called diagnostic medical sonographers, use sonogram machines and take images of various areas of the body in real time. These images are then used by the medical team to form a more complete diagnosis and devise a course of medical treatment.
Number of People Working in the Ultrasound Tech Field
There are over 53,000 diagnostic medical sonographers in the U.S. The ultrasound technician job outlook is excellent, with job market demands forecast to grow by 48% from 2010 to 2020, thanks to recent innovations and the needs of a healthy but aging population.
Most Common Level of Study Required
The most common educational qualification received is a 2-year associate’s degree, but you can also earn a 1-year certificate if you cross-train in the field. You may also earn a bachelor’s degree, or if you want to advance to the highest levels, a masters degree. Whatever your choose, you must attend a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs if you want to compete for top jobs.
Work Environment
The vast majority of sonographers work in hospitals. You can also work in outpatient centers, private medical offices and labs, but your ultrasound technician job duties will be similar in all these facilities.
Common Job Duties
The nature of the equipment you are handling and what you need to do with it will depend on what you have been asked to image, but your basic duties will include fall into 3 categories:
WORKING WITH PATIENTS
As an ultrasound tech, you will take patient histories, explain the procedures that will be conducted and answer any questions that the patient may have. You will also position the patient and apply gel to their skin, which allows the sound waves to travel through the area receiving an ultrasound.
WORKING WITH ULTRASOUND MACHINES
In addition to having direct contact with patients, you will be expected to have expert knowledge of the machines that are used in ultrasound procedures. You will prepare the machine, perform the initial assessment of the image and check to be sure it is clear. You will also perform maintenance on the equipment and may communicate with the manufacturer or servicer if repairs are needed.
SUPPORTING DOCTORS AND MAINTAINING RECORDS
During ultrasound procedures, you will assist the doctor in reading the image if necessary, and make sure that they have all of the tools and information they need to do their job successfully. You will record the findings from ultrasound procedures and maintain patients’ records to make sure that they stay updated.
Average Salary
The median ultrasound technician salary is $68,900 and projected to rise. In 2014, CNN ranked sonography as 1 of the 10 best-paying jobs for people with associate’s degrees. At that time, the median ultrasound technician salary was $62,490, so ultrasound tech salaries overall can be expected to continue rising.
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